sewing, fabric, quilts

Little Owl Baby Quilt

What pure fun making this quilt was! You forget how fast baby quilts are to make until you realize that it’s binding time and the quilt is almost finished and it seemed to just fly out of the sewing machine.

(Update: I have received many requests for a pattern for this quilt. You can make this quilt yourself by using this pattern that I have written for a different checkerboard type quilt.)

I made this quilt using what I think is a great combination to make a unified but interesting look: start with a cute motif fabric, add a solid, a little dot and a stripe. Four different fabrics that can create a bit of a scrappy look but looks cohesive. I started with a fabric from Anne Kelle’sUrban Zoologyline for Robert Kaufman. This line of fabrics is so adorable and is perfect for stashing for future baby quilts. The little dot is Pinhead in Ebony from Michael Miller. The solid is Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solid in Aqua and the little grey stripe is probably one of my all time favorite stripes – Animal ABCs small stripe in Grey – I kind of hoard it in my stash.

The backing fabric – eeeeek! It’s called Key Ingredient in Natural Blue from Chicken in the Ktichen Collection by Alexander Henry. I’ve had this in my stash for a while and couldn’t wait to use it.

This quilt was made using 16-patch blocks, with finished squares that were 3″ each. To make these, I cut 3.5″ x 16″ strips from four different fabrics and sewed them together to make a variety of 4-strip “A” sets. I could have cut WOF (width of fabric) strips, but I felt that sewing those together wouldn’t have given me the mixed variety of sets I wanted. I subcut these “A” sets into 3.5 strips and then placed them out until I got a scrappy layout I liked. I then sewed them into 4-strips blocks and sewed the blocks together in rows. There were 3 blocks across and 4 blocks down to make a quilt that finishes at 47″ x 35.5″ (including binding).

For this quilt, I thought I should make bias binding instead of my usual cross grain binding. I thought the stripes on the diagonal added a little bit more interest, plus it’s more durable – especially for a baby quilt that might get washed more. To make bias binding, I use a Binding Buddy ruler by June Tailor that makes it a snap. I have the 2.5″ one but they also make a 2.25″ ruler. Makes it super simple! I think it’s also less of a hassle than making continuous bias binding – way too much fiddling for me. If you want to see how I apply binding, here is my tutorial on that.

I quilted this with Aurifil 50 wt. thread and did double vertical quilting lines along all the squares. I used white on top and a sand color in the bobbin, to match the backing fabric. I used Warm & White for the batting.

85 thoughts on “Little Owl Baby Quilt”

Hi Elaine
Just love your little owl quilt
Having trouble tho at getting fabrics. Can’t obtain the grey strips which I think is so right for this gorgeous quilt
Fabric.com tell me it’s unavailable and Non order able which I found Really disappointing tho realise it will be so popular after seeing your quilt
Do you have any idea if there us anywhere ele I could get it from
Have tried over here in N ew Zealand?
Would be very grateful
Many thanks
Eleanor

Eleanor: You can actually use your walking foot to sew the binding on – it’s very helpful and will feed the fabric so there are no puckers. As for the machine quilting and puckers, do you use a walking foot? That is key. There are also more tips that I have written about in this post https://beechtreelanehandmade.com/2016/02/22/six-tips-for-machine-quilting/ that will help you avoid puckers, like lowering the pressure foot tension when machine quilting and using the proper needle in your machine. Really works. Hope this helps!

A beautiful new way of looking at colors – binding on the back first always came easier to me, but will do your method of stitching in the ditch on the front … thanks for such a jolt of inspiration and instruction.

Kay I just finished the top and I purchased 1 1/2 yards of all the fabric for the top, except for the strip, I purchased 2 yards for that to do the binding with. I also purchased 3 yards for the backing, but I am using some of the owl print as a border.

Barbara, thank you for giving your yardage. Do you remember how many 3.5 x16” strips you cuts of each fabric? I’m the type that needs detailed directions and then it just a hope and prayer that I get it right. Thank you

Hello! Just bought all the fabric to start this project this week! Can’t wait! Can you confirm if you used a 1/2 inch seam when sewing all of the strips together (through all stages)? I assume this is how you come out to 3″ squares total…

I am making this quilt right now & I think you should use 1/4″ seam – you will be sewing 1/4″ for each square so they turn out a lot smaller. 1/2″ would make the squares really small. it goes together fast but takes awhile to cut all the strips.

I had trouble finding the “Chicken in the Kitchen” line but found a similar design at a local quilting shop. When you give the 3.5 X 16 measurements, those are the starting measurements, right? I am finding the squares turn out smaller than it looks in your pictures but it is a great pattern combination.

You use the same black & white striped fabric for the binding. You cut the binding on the bias – allow enough to fold it in half and enough to fold over to the back. Make sure you lay the fabric the same direction for the binding when you cut – if not, the stripes will be going the wrong direction. It happened to me!

Elli: In the post, I mention that I cut the striped fabric on the bias so the stripes would be diagonal. I also linked to the bias ruler I use. Buy the way – I am seeing more fabric manufacturers coming out with stripes that are already on the bias! I love this. You will be able to cut your strips crossgrain and have a binding with diagonal stripes.

Hi! I love your site! So inspiring!
I recently purchased the Robert Kaufman Owl print in flannel. I think it is the only way it comes. I was hoping to pair it with 100% cotton non flannel fabric from Moda but was unsure about mixing materials. Did you mix different Cotton’s in this quilt? From what I can tell I think you did and I apologize if you have answered this question before. I read through many of the comments and did not see this question. So the main question is do I need to pre wash the flannel Fabric or all Fabrics before working them together? What do you practice? Thank you!

Lisa: I have never mixed flannel and regular cottons together on a quilt top, however I have used a flannel backing for a quilt with a regular cotton top. I would imagine it would be just fine to mix the two for a quilt top, but I can’t say for sure – I would love to try this myself, actually! I always, always, prewash all my fabrics and I think that is why I might be more confident mixing the two. I prewash fabrics because I don’t want any surprises after washing a completed quilt – if the fabrics are going to shrink or bleed or distort in any way, I want them to go through the same washing process before sewing that they will be after sewing. Hope this helps. If you try mixing the two fabrics, let me know!

I have mixed 100% Cotton “quilting” fabric with good quality 100% Cotton flannel and sometimes I add Minkee or chenille to it, as well, on the top. The mixed textures entertain the baby to some extent. I would suggest pre-washing your fabrics when mixing them together as they shrink at different rates.

Love this quilt and your directions. I especially like your general directions on fabric choice, “start with a motif you like, add a solid, stripes, dots”. I often use 3nd hand clothes for my quilt fabrics, so these directions help me feel confident about fabric choices. Like some others, I’d love to know how many 3.5×16” strips you used of each fabric. Photos make me guess three or four, but not sure. Thanks for posting!

I made this Owl Quilt for a new niece except in pink and gray. I found most of the fabric online. The striped gray & white was the hardest to find and tricky to cut the binding on the bias. I got it going the wrong way & had to piece it at the end but a very cute mixture of prints.